Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.Robert Louis Stevenson

Beyond Our Pets

Americans spent $55.7 billion on their pets last year—actually a %4.5 increase over the year before. While the figure includes spending on food and veterinarians, pet services such as grooming, training and boarding grew fastest, %6.1 , or $4.5 billion. And those items are expected to grow even more  this year. Still the largest expenditure was on food, $21.6 billion. Trade groups say that pet owners are looking for higher quality food for their animals. They add that food and veterinary expenses are  very much related to wanting improved health care for pets.

Since humans do have a responsibility to animals, it’s comforting that pets are well treated. Let’s hope that the love of animals this speaks to will translate to other animal causes such as the killing of elephants and rhinos for their tusks, animal smuggling, abandoned pets, horses and cattle suffering from drought in central California, animal abuse of all kinds…


Comments

One response to “Beyond Our Pets”

  1. Miriam Borne Avatar
    Miriam Borne

    Yes, I do hope that our increased outpouring of love for our animal brothers and
    sisters does include our actions to help endangered and threatened species.
    I know, that since having pet lizards for the past few years, I notice an
    increase in my donations to causes such as Defenders of Wildlife, and can
    only visualize others who care for animals doing the same. We are indeed
    responsible for the health and well being of those other kingdoms with whom we share this planet.